Railway car construction



Oct. 18, 1932. G. G GILPIN RAILWAY CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 2, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Invenior: GET/fl Attorney Patented Oct. 18, 1932 UNETE srarssf Parser arri es GARTH G. GILPIN, OF RIVERSIDE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGN ORTO UNION METAL PRODUCTS COM- IPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A GORPORATIQN 0F DELAWARE RAILWAY can oons'rnuorIon 1 Application filed February 2, 1929. Serial No. 336,939.

The device, relates to railway freight cars, and particularly to that class of equipment having doors which are opened or dropped to discharge part or all of the lading, and is adaptable specificall to general service gondola cars, in whic the entire floor, or at least the major part thereof, consists of a plurality of doors hinged preferably to the center construction of the car.

My improvements, however, in modified form, are adaptable to any door for a railway car which swings open to discharge'part of the cargo.

An object is to provide a door having an upper surface substantially flush with the upper surfaces of some,;and preferably all, of

the frame members of the car which surround the door opening so as to obtain a flush floor for the car. This is especially desirable, as rivet heads and other projections interfere with the shovel, clam bucket and similar unloading devices. The margins of the door are made lading-proof by providing the door with a substantially horizontal shelf having an upper surface positioned below the surface of the main part of the door, which shelf is preferably arranged so that itsupper sur face engages the lower surfaces of the adj acent frame members when the door is in closed position.

When the doors are made of cast metal they have a tendency to warp in cooling and when the door is made of steel plate, which is heated and deformed, it also-has a tendency to warp when cooling. In cast metal doors the shelf is preferably obtained by providing a horizontal flange in which construction it is merely necessary to press the flanges straight and flush with each other without straightening the entire door, thus obtaining a close fit between the door and the adjacent frame members. This, therefore, is another object of my invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide a door with a stifiening marginal flange, which flange is varied in depth proportionate to the service stresses imposed upon it. This feature is particularly feasible when the door is made of cast metal.

Another object of the invention is to form a marginal flange on a cast metal door wit a larger radius adjacent the corner of the door than theradius at the corner of the main body of the door itself. The object of this construction is to obtain an easier flow of themetal inthe mold and eliminate shrinkage cracks. I p

By nature of their requirements railway freight train cars are out of doors substantially all of the time, therefore, are subjected to corrosive action of the elements, and while paint and other non-corrosive coatings have been applied to the car parts, such protection not only has been found to be expensive in time. and money, but the lading removes the coating. This is particularly true of the inside of open type cars which are turned upside down in unloading machines causing the load to slide across the floor ofthe car and also when the discharging load slides across the surface of a drop door in discharging. Furthermore,,certain ladings, such as sulphur and wet coal, which forms sulphuric acid, cause rolledsteel or iron to corrode. On account of its increased strength rolled steel in the form of the plates and bars has supplemented wood in car construction but the corrosive action of the elements eats away the rolled steel or iron material reducing their strength and their length of life. This applies to both the load carrying members and the ladingretaining members, such as doors, etc. It has been found that cast metal. particularly cast steel, has more than twice the resistance torcorrosion as rolled steel,

therefore, one of the objects of the invention is to make the drop door of cast metal, pref- Another object of forming the car part of cast metal is to eliminate the possibility of loose connections which would permit relative motion between the component parts of the car part, as it is common knowledge that the vibration of the car in motion, due to rough and uneven track, and steel wheels rolling on steel rails, together with longer trains and high speeds in present day prac tice, cause riveted joints and built up sections to work loose and the railroads look with favor upon any device which reduces the number of parts and joints as they are the weak partsof the car and the more such weak parts are eliminated, the longer the life of the car. 7

In the drawings:

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show a typical application of my improved door to a general service railway car. 7 i Fig. 4 shows a modified construction.

Fig. 5 shows a plan of the door in detail.

Fig. 6 is a. section on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a side view of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a rear view of Fig. 5. v

Fig. 9 is a section on line 9-9 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 10 is a front view of Fig. 5.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a, modified form of door.

Figs. 12 and 13 show an improved corner construction.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 inclusive show a typical application of my device to a railway car, wherein the usual parts of the car are shown,

such as center sill 1; center sill cover plate 2; cross diaphragm 3; side wall 4; lower chord 5 and side stake 6. The center construction, cross diaphragms and the side wall surround the door opening and the door is preferably hinged to the center construction at 7 and is so positioned as to close the opening. Any desired door operating or locking mechanism may be used.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 10 inclusive the door comprises a main body portion 10 having an upper surface 11 flush with the upper surface of the cross diaphragm 3 and/or also preferably flush with the lower chord 5 of the side construction and/or the cover plate 2 of the center sill. The door is also preferably provided with a substantially horizontally positioned shelf 12 at the sides of the doors and also preferably at the outer margins of the door and, if the hinge construction will permit, the rear margin of the door is also provided with such a shelf. If the door is made of a steel plate pressed into shape I prefer to position the depending reinforcing flange 13 at the outer edge of the horizontally positioned shelf 12, as shown in Fig. 4. If the door is made of cast metal I prefer to position the reinforcing depending flange 14 adjacent ing flange around the door is shorter than if positioned at the outer margin of the shelf, thus saving material. When the reinforcing flange depends from the body of the sheet,

instead of the outside margin of the shelf, 5

a laterally projecting horizontal flange is provided which can be easily straightened in a press without necessarily straightening the body portion of the door or the depending flange.

Figs. 1 to 10 inclusive also show the formation of my door when made of cast metal with a continuous flange 20 adjacent the perimeter of the door varying in depth proportionate to the service stresses imposed thereon. That part of the cargo which rests upon the area of the door is supported by the two (or more) hinges 21 and the two (or more) means which accommodate the locking and supporting mechanism (shown as bar 22). The weight of the cargo on the I door must ultimately be transmitted to these four (or more) points of support. In the form illustrated, I have shown transverse ribs 23 (see Fig. 6) extending from the hinge lugs '21 to the opposite locking bars 22, which ribs increase in depth toward their middle portions according to known theories for beams. I have also shown a cross rib 24 (see Fig. 9) extending between the transverse ribs which also increase in depth toward the middle portion and having end portions 25 which extend beyond the transverse ribs and merge into the body of the door adjacent the side flange. The locking bar 22 extends beyond the outer margin of the door to accommodate a supporting and or locking means from the car body and is secured to the transverse rib 23 by the rivets 26 (or similar means) adjacent the cross rib 24 forming a very strong heel to resist upward force exerted at the outer end of the locking bar 22. The tendency of this locking bar 22 to twist or torsion is resisted by being secured to the outer flange 27 of the door by means of the little shelf 50. A tipping of the locking bar may permit the locking mechanism to unlock.

The portion 27 of the continuous flange at the outer edge of the door is, mechanically speaking, a beam extending from the opposite sides of the door and having two points of support, namely, the locking bars 22. This beam decreases in depth from the locking bars towards its middle portion and de- 3 creases in depth from the respective locking bars to the adjacent sides 28 of tie door. (See Fig. 10.) This flange is proportioned according to the known theories for beams.-

The portion 29 of the rear flange is of similar construct-ion, as shown in Fig. 8, its points of support being the hinge lugs 21.

The side portions 30 of the flange are beam extending from the ends 31-32 of the rear and front flanges and, therefore, should Lao increase in depth toward their middle portions, as shown in Fig.7.

Figs. 12 and 13 show an improved corner construction. wherein thedoor comprises av is preferably formed'on a large radius (36) The corner part of the body portion of the door projects beyond the flange to close the corner of the opening. In this construction the metal flows freely in the mold, and

shrinkage cracks are eliminated.

Fig.11 shows a perspective view of the door with the varying depth flanges (or continuous flange 20) and the improved corner construction 34.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof within the scope of the claims will occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a railway car comprising frame members surrounding a door opening, a cast metal door having a flat main upper surface extending between and flush with the upper surfaces of the frame members, and a substantially horizontal shelf partially surrounding the door having an upper surface positioned below the first mentioned surface and a flange adjacent the margin of the main upper surface extending below the shelf.

2. In a railway car comprising frame members surrounding a door opening, a cast metal door having a flat main upper surface extending between and flush with the upper surfaces ofthe frame members, and a substantially horizontal shelf partially surrounding the door having an upper surface positioned below the first mentioned surface for engagement with the under surface of some of-said frame members and a flange adjacent the margin of the main upper surface extending below the shelf.

8. A cast metal door having an upper surface, a substantially horizontal shelf partially surrounding the door having an upper sur face positioned below the first mentioned surface, and a continuous flange adjacent the perimeter of the door which varies in depth proportionate to the stresses imposed thereon. I

4. In a railway car comprising frame members surrounding a door opening, a cast metal door having an upper, surface flush with the upper surface of some of said frame members, a substantially horizontal shelf partially surrounding the door having an upper surface positioned below the first mentioned'surface for engagement with the undersurface of some of said frame members,

and a' continuousflange adjacent the edges of said upper surface of the door which varies in depth proportionate to the stresses imposed thereon.

' 5. A cast metal drop door for a-railway car having a flange and spaced apart supporting places atone edge thereof, said flange being increased in depth between said supporting places and being decreased in depth from said supporting places, respectively, to the adjacent corners of the door.

6. A cast-'inetal drop .door for a railway car having a'flange and spaced apart supporting places at one edge thereof, said flange being increased in depth between saidsupporting places and being decreased in depth: from said supporting places, respectively, to the adjacent corners of the-' door, said door also having side flanges which increase in depth betweenitheir opposite ends, said side flanges uniting with the first mentioned flange adjacent corners of the door.

- 7. A cast metal drop door for a railway car having a flange and spaced apart supporting places at front and rear edges thereof, said flanges'being increased in depth between said supporting places and being decreased in depthfrom said supporting places, IGSPGC'.

tively, to the adjacent corners of the door, said door also having side flanges which'increase in depth between their opposite ends,

said side flanges uniting with the first mentioned flange adjacent corners of the door.

,8. A cast metal drop door having a continuous flange adjacent its perimeter of varying depth proportionate to the service stresses imposed thereon.

9. A cast metaldoor for a railway car comprising a body portion with a lateral flange at two edges thereof which are substantially. normal to eachother, said flange spaced apart from the edges of said body portion at the corner. of the door whereby the corner part of the'body portion of the door projects be yond the flange 10. A cast metaldoor for a railway car comprising a body portion with a lateral flange ns at two edges thereof which are substantially normal; to each other, said flange formed on a radius at the corner of'the door whereby the corner part of the body portion of the door projects beyond the flange. F 11. A cast metal door for a railway car having integral hinge lugs adjacent one margin thereof, integral transverse ribs extending from said hinge lugs to the opposite margin of thedoor, and separate locking bars secured to said ribs which extend beyond the outer margin of the door. 12.. A cast metal having integral hinge lugs adjacent one margin thereof, an integral flange at the opposite door for a railway car margin of the door, integral transverse ribs extending from said hinge lugs to said flange, and separate locking bars secured to said ribs which extend beyond the outer margin of the door, said locking bars formed so as not to interrupt the flange. v

13. A cast metal door for a railwaycar having integral hingelugs adjacent one margin thereof, transverse ribs extending from 10, said hinge lugs to the opposite margin of the door, a cross rib extending between the transverse ribs, and locking bars secured to said ribs adjacent the cross rib which extend beyond the outer margin of the door. 5 14. A cast metal door for a railway car having integral hinge lugs adjacent one mar-' gin thereof, an integral flange at the opposite margin of the door, integral transverse ribs extending from said hinge lugs to the opposite margin of the door, and separate locking bars secured to said ribs which extend beyond the outer margin of the door, said lockingbars formed so as not to interrupt the flange and securedto said flange so as to retard any tipping tendency thereof. I -15. A cast metal door for a railway car consisting of an integral casting comprising a flange and spaced apart hinge lugs adjacent the inner end of said door, said flange increasing in depth between the lugs, a flange and spaced apart supports adjacent the outer tending from said'hinge lugs to said supports which increase in depth toward their middles, cross ribs extending between the opposite side margins of the door which increase in depth toward theirmiddles, and a shelf projecting outwardly and normally from said GARTH G. GILPIN.

end of the door, said flange increasing in V depth between the supports, a flange adjacent each side margin of the door which increases in depth toward its middle, and transverse ribs extending from said hinge lugs to said support which increase in depth toward their middles.

16. A cast metal door for a railway car consisting of an integral casting comprising a flange and spaced apart hinge lugs adjacent the inner end of said door, said flange increasing in depth between the lugs, a flange and spaced apart supports adjacent the outer end of the door, said flange increasing in depth between the supports, a flange adjacent each side marginof the door which increases in depth toward its middle, transverse ribs extending from said hinge lugs to said supports which increase in depth toward their middles, and cross ribs extending between the opposite side margins of the door which increase in depth toward their middles.

17. A cast metal door for a railway car consisting of an integral casting comprising a flange and spaced apart hinge lugs adjacent the inner end of said door, said flange increasing in depth between the lugs, a flange and spaced apart supports adjacent the outer end of the door, said flange increasing in depth between thesupports, a flange adjacent each side margin of the door which increases in depth toward its middle, said flanges merging together to form a continuous flange. 18. A cast metal door for a railway car con- 

